Tormented

His gaze dropped to her mouth and he seemed to contemplate kissing her. She half wished he would. Instead, he released her. Taking out his wallet, he pulled out several hundreds and handed them to her.

“You don’t have to use any of it,” he said before she could protest. “ But how are you going to pay your stylist?”

He had a point. “Thank you. I promise I’ll pay you back.”

“Of course you will.”

His eyes glimmered and she found it difficult to swallow. A monetary payment wasn’t what he expected.

Only after he had left was she able to breathe normally. She had looked forward to the opportunity to gather her thoughts without the distraction of Ben, but thanks to the chastity belt, she probably wouldn’t be able to keep him out of her

mind. Her body still hummed from being brought to the verge of coming, only to have the orgasm denied. And she had done her best to fight it. Now there was no way to get herself off.

With a frustrated grunt, she went into the kitchen and looked around for breakfast options. She found a banana and contemplated what she would do with her free time. She could go see Sam. But not at the Tribune offices, if she was getting there via Ben’s driver. She could swing by her apartment to get her own clothes. Marissa was visiting her folks down in Southern California, so she wouldn’t have to bump into her roommate and explain why she was wearing a designer skirt. Whereas Kimani shopped at TJ Maxx and couldn’t tell if something came from Neiman Marcus or JCPenny, Marissa had a nose for all things fashion.

“Miss Montana?” asked Wong, knocking on the door.

She let in the small older man.

“Can I take you somewhere, Miss?”

She almost suggested a coffee shop, but then she remembered the chastity belt. If she had to, she would go without drinking anything for as long as possible. Catching her reflection in the mirror, she decided she would definitely get her hair done first.

“You want an appointment now?” Keisha asked over the phone when Kimani called her using Wong’s cell.

“I need braids stat. I don’t have time to fuss about my hair.”

“Girl, I’d love to help you out, but I got an appointment at ten this morning.”

Kimani thought about the money Ben had given her. “I’ll pay your client a hundred bucks to reschedule her appointment. And I’ll double your payment if you can do it in just a few hours.”

“Damn, why the hurry?”

“I’m working on something. It’s hard to explain. Can you help me?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Twenty minutes later, Kimani was seated in a chair at Keisha’s house in Visitacion Valley. Coffee in hand but still dressed in her pajamas, Keisha had recruited her younger sister Tara to help out.

“You want microbraids done in just a few hours?” Keisha asked with her hands on her hips.

“Well, whatever you think you can do,” Kimani answered.

“You want me to sew in some color?”

“Maybe just a little.”

As Keisha and Tara got to work, Kimani thought about the punishment she would suggest. She wanted to say that wearing the chastity belt was punishment enough. She couldn’t find a comfortable position to sit. And she dreaded having to go to the bathroom with the thing on.

But Ben wouldn’t buy that. He’d want something substantive. Something involving the stuff he had in his playroom. The flogger maybe. Or paddle. He had quite the collection of each. Wooden paddles, leather paddles. Paddles with holes, paddles with textures, and even paddles with hearts. As for the floggers, there were at least two dozen...

“So, who’s the guy?”

“What’s that?” Kimani asked, flushing at the type of thoughts occupying her mind.

“He must be special. You’ve never had me add color before,” Keisha replied.

Kimani was silent as the words sank in. It was true.